Environmental concerns have caused many homeowners to begin looking into ways to lower the carbon footprint of their home. Fortunately, accomplishing that goal isn't as hard as you might think. If you would like to learn more about transforming your home into a more earth-friendly abode, read on. This article will present three simple strategies for a greener home.
Use low VOC paint for your next painting project.
Traditional paints are chock full of so-called volatile organic compounds--or VOCs, for short. These substances tend to vaporize readily into the air, lending traditional paint that unique "new paint smell." Unfortunately, VOCs are responsible for aggravating a wide variety of health issues--everything from watery eyes, to asthma, to cancer.
Not only that, but the VOCs in traditional paint can cause unwanted problems washed down the drain during your cleanup phase. Next time you undertake a painting project in your home, do yourself and the environment a favor by opting for a low VOC paint. Whereas traditional latex paints may have VOC counts as high as 250 grams per liter, a low VOC alternative will have 50 grams or less.
Install motion sensor switches on outdoor lights.
Flood lights on the exterior of your house are a great way to increase both your safety and your security when moving about at night. Unfortunately, leaving such lights on for hours at a time can lead to significant spikes in your electrical costs. This in turn greatly increases the carbon footprint of your home. Fortunately, you can lower your energy bill and promote a greener home by installing smart switches on your outdoor lights. These sensors automatically turn the lights on when motion is detected--and then back off once that motion has ceased.
Switch to low-flow showerheads.
Showerheads have two principal drawbacks where environmental impact is concerned. First of all, they utilize more water in a household than everything except for toilets. Second, most of the water flowing through a showerhead comes straight from your water heater. This fact means that high-volume showerheads not only increase your water bill, but your energy bill as well.
The good news is that you can drastically lower your home's environmental impact in both areas by installing low-flow showerheads. Such showerheads can virtually cut your water use in half, lowering your flow rate from 2.5 gallons per minute to 1.25. Best of all, the low-flow showerheads being produced today offer significant improvements over older models. That means that you won't have to sacrifice the pressure, velocity, or any of the other things you loved about your older, water-wasting showerhead.
For further assistance, contact a local sustainable contractor, such as one from Omnicrete.
